TDR Nova Equalizer Review

Let’s take a closer look at TDR Nova, a freeware audio effect that’s often regarded as the best free EQ plugin on the market. This article is the first in a series that will explore classic VST plugins from the past.

We have a bit of a blast from the past here with a plugin released back in 2015, Nova from Tokyo Dawn Records, and we are taking another look at it in our effort to determine whether it is still an awesome freebie.

At its core, Nova is a parallel dynamic equalizer plugin for macOS and Windows.

Let’s begin with a little bit of history.

As Tomislav stated in the original news article back in 2015, the inspiration for Nova came from Vladislav Goncharov’s KVR Developer Challenge entry, Nova-67P (our top-rated freebie at the time). Vladislav joined Tokyo Dawn Labs (now Tokyo Dawn Records), and Nova quickly became a much-appreciated freebie.

What made TDR Nova so good?

On the surface, Nova is a very useful four-band parametric EQ with additional highpass and lowpass filters with four slope settings ranging from 6dB/oct to 72dB/oct. With four EQ bands and filter slopes reaching 72dB/oct, you can already be fairly surgical in the realm of standard EQ.

Nova is generally clean, smooth and performs very well as a standard EQ. Like many EQ plugins, it’s not immune to a little harshness when boosting higher frequencies, but it does have a gain compensation feature (EQ Gain) that aims to keep the loudness the same when you boost frequencies.

Features like EQ Gain, a built-in spectral analyzer, and various processing modes contribute to an overall package that goes beyond the average freebie.

As a dynamic EQ, Nova lets you EQ the louder parts of a specific frequency different from the quieter parts, which is an excellent way to deal with harsh cymbals or problem vocals when performers get a little too into it.

Nova is a flexible dynamic processing tool that covers many applications, from basic EQ to full-band and multi-band compression-type settings.

A dynamic EQ is sometimes preferred to multi-band compression when dealing with specific frequencies. The lack of crossover filters often means a more transparent result while maintaining some of the glueing effects of multi-band compression.

Nova has a polished interface, even by today’s standards, sporting a typical parametric EQ layout, additional dynamic controls, and an intuitive workflow. The large drag-and-drop graph makes it easy to manipulate EQ bands and even has a handy Order By Frequency button that prevents any band number confusion.

Is TDR Nova still as worthwhile today?

Absolutely. Some plugins don’t age well, but Nova is a freebie worth checking out if you don’t already have it. On its release in 2015, Tomislav said, “The most impressive thing about TDR Nova is how easily it transforms from a simple parametric EQ into a super-precise dynamic equalizer.”

And that still rings true today because it provides experienced users with a very speedy workflow that produces solid results and offers beginners a less intimidating path into the world of dynamic EQ.

I’m keen on most things that help users learn more than they realize, providing it doesn’t just do everything for you without explanation, and I think Nova fits that description.

For my money, Nova is a worthy blast from the past, and hopefully, some new users can put it to work.

For more free EQ goodies, check out our best free EQ VST Plugins for mixing and mastering.

Nova is available in AU, VST2, VST3, and AAX formats for macOS (10.9 upwards) and Windows (XP SP2 upwards – talk about a blast from the past).

Download: Nova

More:

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Last Updated on June 20, 2023 by Tomislav Zlatic.